Romney closes in gap in two swing states

A National Public Radio poll released on Wednesday gave Obama (left) a seven-point lead, 51% to 44%, among likely voters nationally. Photo: AFP

Washington: A poll of three swing states shows Republican challenger Mitt Romney pulling closer to President Barack Obama in Florida and Virginia while continuing to trail in Ohio.

The NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist College survey of likely voters taken 30 September-1 October put Obama ahead in Florida, 47% to 46%, and in Virginia, 48% to 46%. Obama led by five points in both states in the NBC/Journal/Marist poll held between 9 September to 11 Septmber.

In Ohio, without which a Republican candidate has never won the White House, Obama led, 51% to 43%, among likely voters. He was ahead, 50% to 43%, in last month’s poll.

The results in Florida and Virginia show Romney closing the gap in two states crucial to his White House hopes as the two presidential candidates prepare for their first of three debates on Wednesday night. The debate, to be held at the University of Denver in Colorado, starts at 9 p.m. Washington time. Romney also reduced Obama’s lead in a national NBC/Journal poll released on Tuesday. The president led Romney, 49% to 46%, among likely voters, down from 50% to 45% in a comparable survey two weeks earlier. Obama’s margin increased to five points over Romney— 48% to 43%—when third-party candidates were included.

A National Public Radio poll released on Wednesday gave Obama a seven-point lead, 51% to 44%, among likely voters nationally. That survey of 800 likely voters was conducted from 26 September to 30 September.

In the NBC/Journal poll of swing states—those with a history of voting for either major party candidate— Romney gained in Florida and Virginia among likely female voters. In Florida, Obama led among women, 48% to 45%, down from a 12-point advantage last month. Men backed Romney by one point, 47% to 46% after supporting him 49% to 45% in September.

Women in Virginia backed Obama, 52% to 44%, down from 54% to 40% in September. Romney led among men, 48% to 45%, compared with a 49% to 44% advantage the previous month.

In Ohio, where Obama retained his lead, he polled 56% of female voters compared with 39% for Romney.

In September, Obama’s advantage was 54% to 38%. Romney led among men, 485 to 46% unchanged from a month ago. Bloomberg